some kinda magic dragon...

It's true that the technology and concept behind Seadragon is absolutely phenomenal--it's hard to imagine the ability to access that much information, that quickly, and all in one place. Ben's also brought up a good point in that the Seadragon and Photosynth technology could definitely be used for things like facial recognition. Talk about design that has the potential to do something really good!

Potential is a big word, though, and there's something about Seadragon that kind of worries my tech-wary side. How many other potentially Orwellian uses does Seadragon have? Anyone who's able to be photographed--really, anyone at all, considering the power of our satellites--has to deal with the possibility of being tracked in a hyper-linked, super quick, high-res database, for whatever reason the user deems acceptable. Kind of scary.

With the possibility for completely virtual walk-throughs and tours of thousands upon thousands of cities, tourist attractions, and the like, what becomes of our non-virtual world? Will Seadragon become an incredible catalyst for physically getting to know the world and actually traveling, or will it allow us to cocoon ourselves even further into our huge HD monitors and custom-made comfy reclining leather desk chairs? Does this kind of technology put us on the path to a world where social networking is the only real socializing we do?

Wait and see.

rubix cubes are delicious...

Stop-action animator PES has put together a number of fantastic and twisted short films, and has done commercials for such big-shots as Nike, Barcardi, and Sprint. But the one I stumbled upon today, Western Spaghetti, blew my mind. I don't think you'd really ever mistake Pick-up Stix or dice for anything edible, but the way PES puts all of his "ingredients" together for this is really stunning. And totally inspiring. I want to do this, too!

Also, check out his Roof Sex. Absolutely hilarious and very, very well done.

[image source: http://www.veryshortlist.com/video/?email_key=31cbb084-dfde-4bef-af6d-4eb12692d3f9]

silly question...

To be a successful communication designer, do you need to know what is happening in the world around you?

Well, um...yes! As the world becomes even more interconnected, it becomes increasingly important to be aware not only of world news and events, but also of the different cultures that are part of our global economy. As Bruce Mau puts it, design is invisible, and has become second-nature to us. Everything is designed. As communication designers, our reach in the world is boundless. Having a firm grasp on global news, economics, and cultures doesn't only enrich our designs, it provides us with the opportunity to do a whole lot of good for our global community.

a little late, but...

I cannot nap. Every time I try to get some sleep during the day when my brain's shutting down sporadically and I'm utterly exhausted, I become so guilt-stricken that I have to get up and do something school-related. It's kind of disgusting. And if I do somehow manage to fall asleep, I wake up completely groggy and sleep-stoned and can't manage to become coherent for at least an hour. Some of us, however, have mastered the art of napping and can successfully sneak in a few solid hours during the day—I'm jealous of you guys! And so, in my sleep-deprived, drowsy, braindead state, I've been doing some research on getting proper day-sleep (which may be pointless, considering I'll be getting copious amounts of sleep after next week), and came across an article with some great tips and even greater info graphics. Check it out.

[image source: http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/naps/]

creative contents...

I don't know about any of you, but I don't generally get super-excited about tables of contents (anyone actually know what the plural of that is?). This post completely changed my mind about the possibility for creativity in something as mundane as a table of contents.

It's certainly true that the simple and expected form of a table of contents doesn't usually spark a huge outpour of creativity in most of us, and maybe that's a good thing--an over-designed table of contents might completely take away from the entire purpose of the thing: legibility and ease of use. But that shouldn't deter us from doing something usable and interesting--after all, the table of contents is one of the first pages we flip to in a new book. Why not do something that'll generate even more interest in the book, right off the bat?

[image source: http://flickr.com/photos/hypowren/412742697/]

no, how do YOU communicate?

Okay, okay, I don't really use a tin can phone (although my neighbour Yvonne and I did try to set up a line between our bedroom windows when we were kiddies). Ironically, I've never been much of a phone person. That's changed a bit since my acquisition of a mobile, but not much--it's just made it possible to text, my speed at which has (sadly) been noted as a talent. I definitely prefer communicating physically (nothing touchy-feely, I mean face-to-face) or somewhat visually (as in email/text messaging). It's not that I try to avoid human contact on the phone; I just find that when communicating something specific, a written message is far more efficient and effective. For more social/general communication, sure, a phone call is okay, but as mentioned earlier, I'd much rather just meet up and have a real, live, in-person chat.

[image souce: http://flickr.com/photos/kitcowan/2103850699/]

poor george w...I mean, PC...

While watching a few recent Apple ads tonight, I was struck by the amount of coded meaning present. I'd noticed some of the more obvious symbolism watching Sad Song in class, but hadn't really realized just how funny and striking some of the deeper stuff was. Right off the bat, at the beginning of Sad Song, there's some pretty funny visual imagery going on--PC guy seems to be representing a hardcore Republican (check out his cowboy hat, beige suit/burgundy tie combo, tinted glasses; not to mention the fact that he's "playing" a bluesy country tune), and Mac guy's putting out a very Democratic vibe (in comparison) with his preppy blue button-down, trendy skinny jeans, and hip long-ish hair.

Aside from the more political symbolism, PC and Mac are both representing very different cultural stereotypes with their visual semiotic images. Let's start with PC guy. His ensemble, in combination with the five-o'clock shadow, receding hairline, and tendency to ignore Mac guy's (very polite) protests, put out very strong middle-management/corporate signs. These are not pleasant connotations for the typical Mac user, and viewers of Sad Song will definitely learn to associate PCs with this uncool corporate image, and everything that goes along with it.

Mac guy, on the other hand, puts out a cooler and more casual image: the above-mentioned outfit, the fact that he's at least a decade younger than PC guy, and the fact that he's got his hands casually in his pockets at the start of every Mac ad all connote a decidedly friendly, smart, and trendy personality. And the attitude Mac guy has when chatting with PC guy is a huge part of these ads: slightly condescending but always politely friendly, Mac guy takes on the oft-wanted personality of a huge number of Gen Y/Gen Next-ers. All of this combined gives Mac (the brand, not the guy) a number of coded messages that subliminally affect the viewer's perception of both Macs and PCs.